The indivisible unit in which waves of energy may be emitted or absorbed.
The concept originally arose from asking why a star emitted at all frequencies without generating an infinite amount of energy and exhausting itself. The integer quantum makes only certain frequencies possible: therefore, stars are not emitting at an infinite number of frequencies; therefore, stars do not emit an infinite amount of energy.
Quantum mechanics is the study of physics at the quantum level, rather than the gross level which sophonts naturally perceive.
(HIWGq, 1120)
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